Flour-packer



(Fo Model.) A I.

' Gr. Y. SMITH.

FLOUR PAGKER.

No. 367,857. Patented Aug. 9,1887.

ETERS, PholmLilhagnphor. Wnhingon. D. C.

"tube inclosing the auger F. G is the platform4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE Y. SMITH, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOVA.

'FLOUR-PACKER.

SPBIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,857, dated August 9, 1887.

i VApplication filed October 29, 1886. Serial No. 217,503'. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom if; may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE YnSMI'rH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linn andl State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flour-Packers, of' which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to flour-packers operated by a screw or auger; and my object is to prevent the spilling and wasting of fiour common to this class of packers.

The invention consists, essentially, in the application to the lower end of the packertube of an expansile and contractile ring or flange adapted to press tightly against the inside of the barrel and follow the curvature .the same; Fig. 3, a plan view o'f the packingring expanded; and Fig. 4, a side elevation of' a modified form of the same. c

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

In the drawings, A represents the frame of a Hour-packer of the class mentioned. B is the upon which the barrel H rcsts, and' J is the weight which, through the medium of the pnl# ley and shaft and the chains I I, raises the barrel at the proper time and support-s it in the operation of packing. These, with other parts shown, constitute the main elements of the packer in common usc, andnced not be more particularly described.

`the barrel can be filled.

as illustrated in Fig. 4.

elevated to the first position a large quantity of air remains in the barrel, chiefly between it and the tube, and this must be' expelled before As it cannot escape through the mass of flour in the tube, it seeks vthe easiest outlet, under or inside the packingring, carrying withA it more or less fine flour, and this is deposited atthe side of the machine, to be trodden under foot and wasted.

My invention is designed to remedy this defeet altogether bythe following simple means;

vNear the lower end of the tube B, I mount a ring or collar, C, so as to slide up and down on the tube a limited distance. To this ring are lattached a series of thin curved and elastic` plates, a a, which in their 4natural position flare, as indicated in Fig. 4. These plates are preferably lapped at the edge, so as to form a tightjoint, the overlap corresponding to the direction in which the auger turns, whereby the tendency is to move the flour away from rather than into the joint. At the line of its Alargest diameter the ring is provided with rubber or other elastic packing, to secure a close connection with the inside of the barrel. This may be a continuous ring, t', of rubber orlike material, as shown in Fig. 3, or may be conneete'd to the elastic plates a a in segments fi i', In the latter case, to allow for the lateral movement of the plates in expanding and contracting, the segments are set dodging, as shown. nicely fitted and the inside of the barrel Vis smooth the packing might be omitted.

Below the movablefring C another ring, E, is attached at intervals to the tube B, and, being outside of the segmental packing-ring, the rivets or other connections pass through suitable slots in the latteras indicated in Fig. 4. Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that as the packing-rin g is raised it is drawn between the tube B and the ring E and the effect is to contract the packing-ring to the dimensions of the outer ring. In this position it is so small as to pass freely into the barrel. In the other extreme position the packi ng-ri ng is large enough Where the parts arer Itol extends upward to near the top 0f the tube,-

where it is preferably connected with a ring, C', similar to the lower one. Obviously a eentinuous tube might be used instead ofthe two rings; but for the sake of economy and lightness rings are preferred. Between the upper ring and the frame-work of the packer is mounted a projectile spring, y, or rather two or more such springsare attached here, since the pressure should be uniform on opposite sides of the ring. Ihcse springs throw the packingring downto its lowest position, when its plates a a naturally spread to the largest extent afforded by the surrounding barrel. To the upper ringare connected chains orcords c c, which pass over sheaves ff, mounted on the frame of the packer. These chains are again connected with the ends ofvertical rods b b, which pass through suitable holes in projecting lugs Z Z of the platform G. These rods are provided with collars c c' c at proper intervals, and these may be adjustable, if deA sircd. In projecting lugs at the upper end of the tube are pivoted two dogs, Z1, lt, which hook under the ring C when raised to the extreme position. A weighted arm of each dog serves for disengagement in connection with the collars and for engagement by gravityas the rods descend.'

The operation ofthe invention will now bc seen. lVhcu the barrel isiu its first positionthat indicated by the lower dotted lines-the rods are depressed, as indicated, and the upper ring and its' connections are drawn to the position shown by the dotted outlines. In this position the parts are held by the dogs until the barrel is hoisted lo theposition shown by the upper dotted lines, when the lugs Z Z, having engaged with the collars c' c and the collars c c with the horizontal arms of the dogs, the ring has been released, and the packingring has descended by the pressure of the spring as far as the sides or bottom of the barrel would allow, when practically no ,air remains in the barrel below the paekingring. This pressure of the springs continues to exert itselfuntil the barrel has been nearly filled and has descended nearly to its lowest position, when the lugs Z I, engaging with the eollars c c, gradually draw the packing-ring upward, causing it to contract, and at the same time bringing it finally to thepositiou indicated by the upper dotted outline thereof in Fig. 2. Itwill be apparent that the natural effect of this movement will be to draw in the ilour from the sides of the barrel toward the center at the top, and thus prevent any tendency toward overflow as the barrel descends below the tube.l

The application to the packer-tube of an automatically-adjustablc packing-ring for the insideof the barrel is the gist of this invention. fIhe means by which this may bc cffected are subject to considerable modification--as, for example, in the device for disengaging the dogs. By forming the ends of the dogs as indicated by the dotted extension they might bc disengaged by the barrel itself, and the rods b b and their collars thus be dispensed with. Onaccount ofits greater accuracy, however, the device shown in the pri ncipal outlines is preferred.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, ifsl. In a ilolnpacker, the combination of an automatieallycxpansile elastic packing-ring attached to the packer-tube, and means, substantiall y as described, whereby the packing' ring is automatically contracted when approaching the top and bottom of the barrel, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a flour-packer, the packing-ring, substantially as described, having its lower edge formed with an inward curvature, whereby as it is contracted it tends to draw the Hou r toward the center of the barrel, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a flour-packer, the combination of the packer-tube I3 and the packingring composed of thin curved liexible plates connected at the top and overlapping, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

f t. In a Hour-packer, the combination of the packer -tnbe B, the ring C, the thin flexible plates a a, and the elastic packing i, substalr tially as and for the purpose specified.

In a flour-packer, the combination of the tubel, the ring E,attached at intervals to the tube, the packing-ring composed of thin curved llexibleplates, adapted to be contracted when drawn upward between the ring and the tube, and means for automatically raising and depressing said packingring, substantially as specified, and for the purpose set forth.

(i. ln a flour-packer, the combination of the packing-ring, substantially as described, having means for depressing and expanding the same,and a connect-ion with the platform upon which the barrel rests, whereby the downward movement of the platform from any dcsired point produces a reverse movement of the packingaing, contracting it in the manner and for the purpose specified.

7. In a flour-packer, the combination of au automatically-cxpansile packing-ring having a connection with the platform of the packer, whereby it is automaticallydrawn up the tube as the barrel descends, dogs to hold the packing-ring when so drawn up, and projectile springs to depress it as the dogs are released, substantially as speci fied.

S. In a Hour-packer, the combination ofthe platform G, having lugs ZZ, the rods l) baving collars c o' c", the chains or cords c e, the shcavesff, the dogs h 71 and ring C, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix. my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE Y. SMITH.

IVitncsses:

G. G. Wivrrnns, J. llI. ST. JOHN.'

IIO 

